Massaging machine

ABSTRACT

A massaging machine for obtaining the same effect as a manual massage. A driving shaft is rotatably mounted on a supporting frame, and a pair of bilateral massaging implement supporting members are fitted on the driving shaft and are movable in the axial direction thereof and are also rotatable therewith. A pair of annular massaging implements are mounted on said supporting members so as to be rotatable around an axis which is eccentric to and inclined with respect to the driving shaft.

United States Patent Gentaro Shinagawa;

Fu z io Nozato, both of Kabushiki Kaisha Sankyu-sha, No. 36, l-cliome, Izuomatsuno-cho, Taisho-ku, Osaka-shi,

[72] Inventors Japan [21] App1.No. 44,692 [22] Filed June 9, 1970 [45] Patented Jan. 11, 1972 [32] Priority June 9, 1969 [33] Japan [31] 44/53906 [54] MASSAGING MACHINE 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 128/44,

128/56, 128/57 [51] Int. Cl A6lh 7/00 [50] Field of Search 128/32, 44,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,052,656 9/1936 Prien 128/57 3,279,462 10/1966 Niquet r. 128/57 Primary Examiner-L, W. Trapp Attorney-Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack ABSTRACT: A massaging machine for obtaining the same effect as a manual massage. A driving shaft is rotatably mounted on a supporting frame, and a pair of bilateral massaging implement supporting members are fitted on the driving shaft and are movable in the axial direction thereof and are also rotatable therewith. A pair of annular massaging implements are mounted on said supporting members so as to be rotatable around an axis which is eccentric to and inclined with respect to the driving shaft.

The invention relates to a massaging machine which performs the function of massaging the required part of the human body, the function having the same effect as that of manual massage.

The conventional massaging machine, though it performed the massaging function, was not capable of performing such a delicate method as is known as the pulling massage."

In case of the massaging machine of the invention, the same effect as that of the manual massage is obtainable by mounting a pair of massaging implements eccentrically and with a slight gradient on supporting members thereof which are fixed to a driving shaft.

The first object of the invention consists in providing a massaging machine which enables to obtain the same effect as that of the manual massage.

Another object of the invention consists in providing a massaging machine which enables to obtain the effect of the finger-pressure treatment too, by making use of the external peripheral protrusion of each massaging implement and by taking advantage of the forward and backward movement of the massaging implements.

Another object of the invention consists in enabling to place on the market the massaging machine which performs the foregoing functions at a low price by making it handy, smaller in size and simplifying its structure.

The foregoing objects are attainable by means of improvement, combination and operation of each component part of the invention, the preferred embodiments whereof will be illustrated by the annexed drawing and the detailed description given hereunder.

Revisions and modifications as regards the details of the construction are to be included in the claims to be set forth hereinafter.

The massaging machine of the invention comprises a supporting frame which consists of a pair of bilateral side frames and a linking frame which links said side frames in parallel with an appropriate space therebetween; a driving shaft revolvably joumaled at both ends thereof by said bilateral frames; a pair of massaging implements slidably and revolvably fixed more or less eccentrically and with a slight gradient to said driving shaft; and a driving means for said driving shaft; the machine being used by applying the massaging implements to the required part of the human body and by causing the driving shaft to revolve.

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional plan of the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a lateral view of the first embodiment of the invention, showing a longitudinal section in part.

FIG. 3 is a magnified longitudinal section of the essential part of the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is an elevation showing the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a lateral view showing the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a lateral view of showing the reducing gearbox of the second embodiment of the invention, of which a part is cut off.

In the first embodiment of the invention, a pair of bilateral side frames l1, 12 are secured to both sides of a linking frame 13 so as to constitute a supporting frame. The side frames l1, l2 constitute a hollow case, both ends of a driving shaft 16 being revolvably joumaled by bearings l4, mounted inside the side frames ll, 12 respectively.

The numeral 17 designates a motor secured to the linking frame 13, a pulley 18 fixed to the axis of the motor 17 is located inside the hollow side frame 12.

The numeral 19 designates a pulley which is revolvably fixed to the outside of the bearing 15, said pulley 19 being larger in diameter than the foregoing pulley 18, an endless transmitting belt 20 being passed round both pulleys l8, 19 so that the pulley 19 will revolve at a lower speed than the pulley 18.

The numeral 21 designates a transmitting shaft, both ends thereof being joumaled by bearings 22, 23 inside both side frames respectively, an endless transmitting belt 26 being passed round a pulley 24 fixed to one end of said shaft 21 located inside the side frame 12 and another pulley of a smaller diameter integrally and concentrically provided on the outside of the foregoing pulley 19, so that the pulley 24 will revolve at a lower speed than the pulley 25.

To the end of the transmitting shaft 21 protruding inside the side frame II is secured a pulley of a small diameter 27, a pulley 28 having a larger diameter being secured to the end of the driving shaft 16 located inside the side frame 11, an endless transmitting belt 29 being passed round both pulleys 27, 28, so that the driving shaft 16 will revolve at a lower speed than the transmitting shaft 21.

The numeral 30 designates a pair of massaging implements supporting members slidably mounted on the foregoing driving shaft 16, a key groove 32 being provided in an axial hole 3l of each member 30, a key 33 fixed to the shaft 16 being slidably fitted into the key groove 32.

The external peripheral face of each member 30 facing each side frame ll, 12 is formed into a cylindrical face, a cylindrical sliding member 36 being revolvably fitted into said cylindrical face through the medium of a bearing 35 respectively, it being so arranged that the sliding member 36 and the member 30 will move together in the axial direction with the help of the shoulder 37 of the member 30 and a stopper ring 38.

The numeral 39 designates a screw rod revolvablyjournaled at both ends thereof by bearings 40, 41 fixed inside the said frames ll, 12 respectively, a left-handed screw 42 being threaded on the screw rod 13 from the center thereof toward the side frame 11, a right-handed screw 43 being threaded toward the side frame 12, a knob 44 loosely penetrating the external wall of the side frame 11 being fixed to the end of the screw rod 39 on the side of said frame 11 so that the screw rod 39 will be freely revolved by means of said knob 44.

The numeral 45 designates an arm integrally formed on each sliding member 36, a left-handed screw hole 46 formed at the end of the sliding member 36 on the side of the side frame 11 engaging the left-handed screw of the screw rod 39, a right-handed screw hole 47 formed at the end of the arm 45 of the sliding member 36 on the side of the side frame 12 engaging the left-handed screw 43 of the screw rod 39.

The external peripheral face 48 on the mutually confronting side of each supporting member 30 constitutes a cylindrical face having an axis running in parallel with a straight line passing a point (M') which deviates by a distance (e) from a straight line intersecting the axis of the driving shaft 16 at a point (M) with an angle of inclination (0), on said external peripheral face 48 being revolvably fitted each annular massaging implement 50 through the medium of a bearing 49 respectively. The bearing 49 is prevented from moving axially by a stop ring 51 and a shoulder 52 of the member 30, the bearing 49 and the massaging implement 50 being prevented from moving axially by a stop ring 53 and an internal protruding edge 54.

The inclining directions of the external peripheral faces of the bilateral supporting members 30 are symmetrical, with the result that the inclining directions of the bilateral massaging implements 50 are also symmetrical as shown in FIG. I.

The massaging implements 50 preferably consist of semihard material, such as rubber, synthetic resin and the like, but the choice of material is not restricted.

The numeral 55 designates a cover consisting of strong cloth, the cover 55 shown in the drawing being cylindrical with both sides thereof fastened round the external peripheries of the side frames ll, 12 so as to completely cover the space between both said frames 11, 12. The cover 55, however, may be extended over the space between the upper sides of the bilateral frames ll, 12 only, or it may be omitted altogether.

The massaging machine, in case of the first embodiment of the invention, is used as follows: the user places his knee, leg,

neck, waist, shoulder or any other required part of his body, between the external peripheries of the pair of massaging implements 50, the motor 17 being started after adjusting the space between the massaging implements 50 properly by means of the knob 44, the revolution of the axis being transmitted to the driving shaft 16 through the medium of the reducing and transmitting means consisting of pulleys and belts.

The supporting members 30 revolve together with the revolution of the driving shaft 16, but the massaging implemerits do not revolve because they are fitted to the supporting members 30 through the medium of bearings 49 and moreover pressed against the body of the user; with the result that the supporting members 30 alone revolve inside the massaging implements 50.

Furthermore, the part of each member 30 which supports the massaging implement, i.e., the external periphery 48 thereof, is eccentric to and inclined against the shaft 16, and hence the massaging implements 50 start such oscillation as shown by the solid and broken lines in FIGS. 1 and 3, thereby applying massage to the part of the user's body placed between the massaging implements 50. If the required part of the body is pressed against the front ends of the external peripheries of the massaging implements 50 instead of placing said part therebetween, the same effect as that of a fingerpressure treatment can be obtained.

in case of the foregoing massaging or quasi-finger-pressure treatment, the cover 55 interposed between the massaging implements and the users body is free from damage from abrasion, since the massaging implements 50 do not revolve.

Now, a comparison between the massaging function of the massaging machine of the invention and that of the manual massage discloses the following fact.

In case of applying massage to the human body, if pressure is applied to the required part from the right and left sides thereof alone, the result will be that the local skin and the sinews directly thereunder are simply constricted, causing a sharp pain similar to a pinch and no agreeable feeling at all.

However, in case of the method known as pulling massage," the massagist applies pressure to the required part from the right and left sides thereof and then pulls off his fingers softly toward himself. In case of this method of massage, the local skin and the muscle directly thereunder are not subjected to a simultaneous pressure as a result of which physical comfort is felt and the satisfactory effect of massage is obtained at the same time. The massaging machine of the invention enables to obtain the same effect as that of the pulling massage" by the massagist.

Since the massaging implements 50 of the massaging machine according to the invention are mounted eccentrically and with a slight gradient to the driving shaft 16 as described above, the oscillation (viz massaging function) of the massaging implements 50 is not limited to a bilateral movement but combines a secondary and heterogeneous movement in forward and backward directions, the effect of this massaging method is exactly same as that of the pulling massage by the human fingers. Since the massaging implements 50, while applying pressure to the required part of the human body from the right and left sides thereof, slip off from said part softly, it produces not only physical comfort to the local part but the same effect as in the case of the manual pulling massage. Moreover, the aforementioned secondary movement of the massaging implements S enables to utilize said implements 50 also for the finger-pressure treatment, and the physical comfort is further increased when the cover 55 is used, as it prevents the massaging implements 50 from directly touching the human body.

Next, the second embodiment of the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6 will be described hereunder.

This embodiment, though more or less different in form, is identical with the first embodiment in the following respects: a pair of bilateral side frames 61, 62 are linked together by means of a linking frame 63; a pair of bilateral slidin members 65 are mounted on a revolvable driving shat fitted between the side frames 61, 62; a left-handed screw 69 and a right-handed screw 70 threaded on a screw rod 68 with a knob 67 which is revolvably fitted between the side frames 61, 62 are screwed into respective screw holes provided at the end of arms 66 of both sliding members 65, so that the space between the right and left sliding members 65 can be freely adjusted; a pair of massaging implements 72 are revolvably mounted, so as to be eccentric to and inclined against the driving shaft 64, on a pair of supporting members 71 which move together with the sliding members 65 along the driving shaft 64 in the axial direction and revolve with said driving shaft 64; the only difference constituting in the reducing transmitting mechanism of the motor 73 and the driving shaft 64.

To be more precise, the motor 73 is secured to the outside of the side frames 61, an endless transmitting belt 78 being passed round a pulley fixed to the axis of said motor 73 and another pulley 77 fixed to an input axis 76 of a reducing gearbox secured to the inside of the side frame 62, a worm 79 fixed to the input axis 76 inside said reducing gearbox 75 being engaged with a worm wheel 80 inside said box 75, said worm wheel 80 being fixed to the end of the driving shaft 64 protruded inside the gearbox 75.

A worm gear is employed in case of this embodiment, as a result of which the reducing transmitting mechanism is simplified to a considerable extent as compared with the case of the first embodiment, the lateral shape being remarkably smaller as is evident from the comparison between FIGS. 2 and S. The other functions, however, are identical with those of the first embodiment. A cover consisting of strong cloth is preferably stretched between the side frames 61, 62 as shown by the broken lines in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Furthermore, besides the method of revolving the driving shaft by means of a motor as in the case of the foregoing embodiments, a mechanism wherein the driving shaft is manually revolved by providing a handle thereto is also embodiable.

As described heretofore, the massaging machine of he in vention enables to obtain the same massaging and fingerpressing effects as in the case of manual operation, and moreover it has superior advantages in that it is simple in construction, small in size, handy to carry and easy to handle.

What we claim is:

1. A massaging machine, which comprises a driving shaft revolvably fitted to a supporting frame, a pair of bilateral massaging implements supporting members fitted to the driving shaft movably in the axial direction and revolvably therewith, a pair of annular massaging implements each mounted on said supporting members so as to be revolvable around an axis which is eccentric to and inclined against the driving shaft.

2. A massaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving shaft is revolved by means of a motor.

3. A massaging machine as claimed in claim I, wherein the driving shaft is revolved manually by means of a handle attached thereto. 

1. A massaging machine, which comprises a driving shaft revolvably fitted to a supporting frame, a pair of bilateral massaging implements supporting members fitted to the driving shaft movably in the axial direction and revolvably therewith, a pair of annular massaging implements each mounted on said supporting members so as to be revolvable around an axis which is eccentric to and inclined against the driving shaft.
 2. A massaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving shaft is revolved by means of a motor.
 3. A massaging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving shaft is revolved manually by means of a handle attached thereto. 